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Abstract:

In order to simplify a constitution of a locking member capable of locking
engageably and detachably an ink head with a stationary region, an
ink-jet printer comprises a first carriage supported relatively
transferable in a predetermined direction with respect to the medium; a
second carriage supported relatively transferable in the predetermined
direction with respect to the medium and juxtaposed so as to position on
a side in the predetermined direction of the first carriage; a slide
means disposed on the first carriage to be transferable in a direction
intersecting with the predetermined direction; an ink head disposed
fixedly on the slide means and capable of discharging an ink on the
medium; a cutting head disposed fixedly on the second carriage and
capable of cutting out the medium; a locking member transferred with
transfer of the first carriage towards the predetermined direction and
transfer of the slide means towards direction intersecting with the
predetermined direction to lock engageably and detachably with a
stationary region; and a coupling means for coupling separably the first
carriage to the second carriage.

Claims:

1. An ink-jet printer capable of discharging an ink on a medium,
comprising:a carriage supported relatively transferable in a
predetermined direction with respect to the medium;a guide rail disposed
on the carriage and extended in a direction intersecting with the
predetermined direction;an ink head disposed transferably along the guide
rail and capable of discharging an ink on the medium;a locking member
transferred with transfer of the carriage toward the predetermined
direction and transfer of the ink head toward a direction intersecting
with the predetermined direction to lock engageably and detachable with a
stationary region.

Description:

[0001]This application is a Divisional of co-pending application Ser. No.
11/400,318, filed on Apr. 10, 2006 and for which priority is claimed
under 35 U.S.C. § 120. This application also claims priority of
Application No. 2005/347527 filed on Dec. 1, 2005 in Japan, the entire
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference and for which
priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002]1. Field of the Invention

[0003]The present invention relates to an ink-jet printer, and more
particularly to an ink-jet printer used suitably in case of printing on a
medium such as a recording paper, for example, conducting color printing
at a high speed and in a high resolution by means of numerical control.

[0004]In the present specification, the term "medium" means a variety of
recording media comprising papers such as plain paper, as a matter of
course, and further includes also a variety of materials such as a resin
material of PVC, polyester or the like, and other materials such as
aluminum, iron, and wood.

[0005]Furthermore, the term "ink jet printing" in the present
specification means printing methods realized by ink-jet technology
according to various manners which have heretofore been well-known
including various types of continuous method such as a binary deflection
method, and a continuous deflection method; or a variety of
drop-on-demand inkjet methods such as a thermal ink-jet method, and a
piezoelectric ink-jet method.

[0006]2. Description of the Related Art

[0007]Heretofore, an ink-jet printer the whole operations of which are
controlled by a microcomputer, in which an ink head travelling on a
medium, for example, a recording paper fed from a sheet feeder in a
breadth direction of the recording paper (hereinafter referred optionally
to as "main scanning direction" in the present specification) is used,
whereby a predetermined printing is made on the recording paper according
to an ink-jet method is well known.

[0008]Furthermore, such a device which is obtained by adding a function
for cutting a picture image or the like printed on a recording paper to
another function of image-formation for producing a picture image on a
recording paper through a printing operation in the above-described
inkjet printer has also been proposed.

[0009]Such ink-jet printer including an image-forming function and a
cutting function is provided with an ink head which is a component for
realizing an image-forming function of image-formation by printing an
image on a recording paper based on image data, and a cutter which is a
component for realizing a cutting function by cutting the recording paper
based on the image data.

[0010]In the above-described ink-jet printer provided with an ink head and
a cutting head, generally, the ink head is coupled separably to the
cutting head by means of a coupling means, and further the ink head may
be engaged with a stationary region of the ink-jet printer by means of an
engaging means in an engageable and detachable manner.

[0011]In the case when an image is formed on a recording paper based on
image data by means of the ink head, the engaging means causes the ink
head to disengage from the stationary region, and at the same time, the
coupling means couples the ink head with the cutting head, so that the
ink head is transferred associatedly with the cutting head.

[0012]On one hand, when a recording paper is cut out based on image data
by means of the cutting head, the engaging means causes the ink head to
engage with the stationary region, and at the same time, the coupling
means decouples the ink head from the cutting head, whereby only the
cutting head is transferred.

[0013]In these circumstances, since an engaging means which makes an ink
head engageable with a stationary region of a conventional ink-jet
printer provided with the ink head and a cutting head in an engageable
and detachable manner is constituted in such that the ink head engages or
disengages automatically with the stationary region due to a relative
movement among three components of the ink head, the cutting head, and
the stationary region, there is such a problem that the constitution of
the ink-jet printer becomes complicated, and assembling operations
therefore become also complicated.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014]The present invention has been made in view of the above-described
various problems involved in the prior art, and an object of the
invention is to provide an ink-jet printer including an engaging means
which makes an ink head engageable with a stationary region of the
ink-jet printer in an engageable and detachable manner wherein the
engaging means is realized by a simple structure.

[0015]In order to achieve the above-described object, an ink-jet printer
capable of discharging an ink on a medium and cutting out the medium
according to the present invention may comprise a first carriage
supported relatively transferable in a predetermined direction with
respect to the medium; a second carriage supported relatively
transferable in the predetermined direction with respect to the medium
and juxtaposed so as to position on a side in the predetermined direction
of the first carriage; a slide means disposed on the first carriage to be
transferable in a direction intersecting with the predetermined
direction; an ink head disposed fixedly on the slide means and capable of
discharging an ink on the medium; a cutting head disposed fixedly on the
second carriage and capable of cutting out the medium; a locking member
transferred with transfer of the first carriage towards the predetermined
direction and transfer of the slide means towards direction intersecting
with the predetermined direction to lock engageably and detachably with a
stationary region; and a coupling means for coupling separably the first
carriage to the second carriage.

[0016]Furthermore, an ink-jet printer capable of discharging an ink on a
medium and cutting out the medium according to the present invention may
comprise a first carriage supported relatively transferable in a
predetermined direction with respect to the medium; a second carriage
supported relatively transferable in the predetermined direction with
respect to the medium and juxtaposed so as to position on a side in the
predetermined direction of the first carriage; a slide means disposed on
the first carriage to be transferable in a direction intersecting with
the predetermined direction; an ink head disposed fixedly on the slide
means and capable of discharging an ink on the medium; a cutting head
disposed fixedly on the second carriage and capable of cutting out the
medium; a locking member transferred with transfer of the first carriage
towards the predetermined direction and transfer of the slide means
towards direction intersecting with the predetermined direction to lock
engageably and detachably with a stationary region; and a coupling means
for coupling separably the first carriage to the second carriage; the
locking member being allowed to disengage from the stationary region,
whereby the first carriage is detached from the stationary region and the
first carriage is coupled to the second carriage by the coupling means,
so that the ink head disposed on the first carriage is transferred
associatedly with the cutting head disposed on the second carriage in
case of printing on the medium; while the locking member being allowed to
engage with the stationary region, whereby the first carriage is engaged
with the stationary region and the first carriage is separated from the
second carriage by the coupling means, so that only the cutting head
disposed on the second carriage is transferred in case of cutting the
medium.

[0017]In the invention, the slide means may be provided with a guide rail
disposed on a wall surface of the first carriage and extended in a
direction intersecting with the predetermined direction; and a slide
block disposed transferably along the guide rail.

[0018]In the invention, the ink head may be disposed fixedly to the slide
block.

[0019]The ink-jet printer of the invention may comprise further a driving
means for driving the slide block.

[0020]In the invention, the direction intersecting with the predetermined
direction may be a direction intersecting with the predetermined
direction at right angles.

[0021]In the invention, the locking means may be formed extensively in a
direction of the stationary region and may have a bent extreme end; and
the stationary region may have a hole for engaging with the extreme end
of the locking member.

[0022]In the invention, the coupling means may be composed of magnets.

[0023]In the invention, an attraction force of the magnets may be smaller
than an engagement force derived from an engagement of the locking member
and the stationary region.

[0024]Thus, the present invention provides such an excellent advantageous
effect to make an ink head engageable with a stationary region of an
ink-jet printer in an engageable and detachable manner by a simple
structure.

[0025]As a result, printing can be made on a desired medium, and further,
a picture image printed can be cut out according to the present
invention, so that it may be applied to a preparation of a variety of
posters, and a production of displays for advertisement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026]The present invention will become more fully understood from the
detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings
which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative
of the present invention, and wherein:

[0027]FIG. 1 is a schematic constitutional explanatory view showing an
ink-jet printer according to an example in a manner of practice of the
present invention;

[0028]FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing schematically an essential
part of FIG. 1 wherein it is the explanatory view showing the essential
part of FIG. 1 partially cutaway in the direction of the arrow A in FIG.
1;

[0029]FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing schematically the essential
part of FIG. 1 wherein it is the explanatory view showing the essential
part of FIG. 2 partially cutaway in the direction of the arrow B in FIG.
2;

[0030]FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing schematically the essential
part of FIG. 1 wherein it is the explanatory view showing the essential
part of FIG. 2 partially cutaway in the direction of the arrow C in FIG.
2 in a state in which a wall part being a stationary member is removed;

[0031]FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing operations of an ink-jet
printer according to an example in a manner of practice of the present
invention;

[0032]FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing operations of an ink-jet
printer according to an example in a manner of practice of the present
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033]In the following, an example of manner of practice of an ink-jet
printer according to the present invention will be described in detail by
referring to the accompanying drawings.

[0034]FIG. 1 is a schematic constitutional explanatory view showing an
ink-jet printer according to an example in a manner of practice of the
present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 4 are explanatory views each showing
schematically an essential part of FIG. 1 wherein FIG. 2 is the
explanatory view showing the essential part of FIG. 1 partially cutaway
in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is the explanatory view
showing the essential part of FIG. 2 partially cutaway in the direction
of the arrow B in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is the explanatory view showing the
essential part of FIG. 2 partially cutaway in the direction of the arrow
C in FIG. 2 in a state in which a wall part 68 is removed.

[0035]In an ink-jet printer 100 according to an example in a manner of
practice of the present invention, a recording paper 200, as a medium,
having a predetermined length in a main scanning direction being its
breadth direction (the direction indicated by the arrow D in FIG. 1) is
fed to a base member 114 which will be mentioned hereunder from a sheet
feeder (not shown), and it is conveyed in a vertical scanning direction
being perpendicular to the main scanning direction, namely in a
longitudinal direction of the recording paper 200.

[0036]Such ink-jet printer 100 is composed of a stationary base member 114
supported by a pedestal member 112 and disposed extensively in the main
scanning direction, side members 116L and 116R disposed perpendicularly
to the base member 114 at the opposite ends thereof, a side unit 118
disposed on the side of the side member 116R, a central wall 120
connecting the two right and left side members 116L and 116R with each
other, a guide rail 122 disposed on the wall of the central wall 120
extensively in the main scanning direction, a driving belt 124 disposed
transferably in the main scanning direction along the wall of the central
wall 120 (see FIG. 2), a carriage 12 mounted slidably on the guide rail
122, another carriage 14 disposed fixedly on the driving belt 124 and
mounted slidably on the guide rail 122 at the same time, an ink head 16
disposed on the carriage 12 so as to be opposed to the recording paper
200 on the base member 114, a cutting head 20 disposed on the carriage 14
so as to be opposed to the recording paper 200 on the base member 114,
and a maintenance unit 22 disposed in the side unit 118.

[0037]The whole operations of the ink-jet printer 100 are controlled by a
microcomputer (not shown).

[0038]Furthermore, a reference numeral 126 designates an operation panel.
The operation panel 126 is provided with a display for displaying an
operation state, keys for specifying positions of the ink head 16 and the
cutting head 20, respectively, keys for starting to produce an image or
to cut out a recording paper on the basis of signals such as image data,
and the other keys or the like.

[0039]Since a well-known technology is applied to the ink head 16, it is
not shown and a detailed description therefore is omitted herein.
However, the ink head 16 is composed of a plurality of ink head units
each having the same constitution as that of the others wherein a
plurality of ink-jet nozzles are disposed under the bottoms of the
plurality of the ink head units as discharge ports for discharging inks
to the recording paper 200, respectively.

[0040]To the plurality of respective ink head units of the ink head 16,
inks having different colors from one another are supplied from a
plurality of ink cartridges (not shown) containing liquid inks having
different colors through ink tubes, respectively.

[0041]The ink head 16 composed of such plural ink head units as described
above is fitted to the carriage 12 in such that the plurality of ink head
units are aligned along the main scanning direction D, and the ink-jet
nozzles of the ink head units may be opposed to the recording paper 200
on the base member 114.

[0042]The cutting head 20 is provided with a gripper 36 for holding a
cutter 38 provided with a cutter blade 38a wherein the cutter 38 is held
by the gripper 36 so as to be changeable a height position of the cutter
blade 38a. The cutter blade 38a of the cutter 38 may be usual cutting
knives of a swivel knife type, a rotary knife type and like type knives
as a matter of course, and in addition, it may also be an ultrasonic disc
cutter, a heat cutter by means of heat and the like cutters. A height
position of the cutter blade 38a is changed at a predetermined timing
determined by an instruction input by an operator through the operation
panel 126, whereby the recording paper 200 is cut out based on image data
while transferring the cutter blade 38a in the main scanning direction
under a condition wherein the cutter blade 38a is allowed to abut upon
the recording paper 200.

[0043]The cutting head 20 provided with the cutter 38 for cutting out the
recording paper 200 is fixedly disposed on the carriage 14 in such that
the cutter blade 38a is made to be abutable upon the recording paper 200
on the base member 114 in the case when a height position of the cutter
blade 38a is changed.

[0045]Furthermore, a ball 125 is held rollably between the guide rail 122
and the linear motion block 123a, 123b, 123c, or 123d, and when the ball
125 rolls, the linear motion blocks 123 a, 123b, 123c, and 123d are
transferred smoothly on the guide rail 122.

[0046]The carriage 12 is fitted fixedly to the linear motion blocks 123a
and 123b disposed transferably on the guide rail 122, while the carriage
14 is fitted fixedly to the linear motion blocks 123c and 123d disposed
transferably on the guide rail 122, whereby the carriages 12 and 14 are
mounted slidably on the guide rail 122.

[0047]The carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are sequentially disposed along
the main scanning direction, and more specifically, the carriage 12 is
positioned on the side of the side member 116R, while the carriage 14 is
positioned adjacent to the left side of the carriage 12. Thus, the ink
head 16 disposed on the carriage 12 and the cutting head 20 disposed on
the carriage 14 are positioned in the order of the ink head 16 and the
cutting head 20 on a line along the main scanning direction D starting
from the side member 116R and extending to the side member 116L, i.e.
from the right side direction to the left side direction in FIG. 1.

[0048]The ink head 16 is disposed on the carriage 12 through an ink head
holder 60 for attaching stationarily the ink head 16 to hold it and a
slide means 62 for transferring the ink head holder 60 in the upper and
the lower directions being the direction intersecting with the main
scanning direction at right angles.

[0049]The slide means 62 is composed of the guide rail 62a disposed
extensively on a wall of the carriage 12 in the upper and the lower
directions and constituted by the linear motion guide, and the linear
motion block 62b being a sliding block disposed transferably along the
guide rail 62a.

[0050]Furthermore, a ball 62c is held rollably between the guide rail 62a
and the linear motion block 62b, and when the ball 62c rolls, the linear
motion block 62b are transferred smoothly on the guide rail 62a.

[0051]The ink head holder 60 is attached fixedly to the linear motion
block 62b, whereby the ink head holder 60 holding the ink head 16 is
transferably disposed in a slidable manner in the upper and the lower
directions along the guide rail 62a.

[0052]A motor 64 provided with a revolving shaft 64a the outer
circumference of which is threaded externally is disposed on a left side
end of the carriage 12, i.e. an end 12a of a side of the side member
116L. On one hand, an arm section 60d having a hole 60c around which is
threaded internally to be screwed with the external thread of the
revolving shaft 64a is disposed on a left side end of the ink head holder
60, i.e. an end 60a of a side of the side member 116L.

[0053]Moreover, a locking member 66 an extreme end 66a of which is bent
downwards and formed in a crank shape is protrusively provided on a right
side end of the ink head holder 60, i.e. an end 60e of a side of the side
member 116R. The locking member 66 is adapted to be engaged with and
detached from a hole 68a defined on a wall 68 being a stationary member
which is integrally formed with the side member 116R of the ink-jet
printer 100 and a central wall 120.

[0054]More specifically, as a result of movement of the ink head holder 60
in the upper and the lower directions and movement of the carriage 12 in
right and left directions by means of the slide means 62, a bent portion
of the extreme end 66a of the locking member 66 is locked with a fringe
of the hole 68a, whereby the locking member 66 is in an engageable state
with the hole 68a.

[0055]In the manner of practice, a locking mechanism for fixing lockably
and detachably the carriage 12 provided with the ink head 16 to the wall
68 being a stationary region of the ink-jet printer 100 is constituted.
The locking and detaching operation for the locking member 66 with the
hole 68a is carried out, for example, by an operation key provided on the
operation panel 126.

[0056]Furthermore, a magnet 70 is disposed on a left side wall 12L
positioned on the side of the side member 116L in the end 12a of the
carriage 12, while another magnet 72 attractable to the magnet 70
disposed on the left side wall 12 is disposed to a right side wall 20R
positioned on the side of the side member 116R in the cutting head 20
fixed to the carriage 14.

[0057]The carriage 12 is suitably coupled to or detached from the carriage
14 by means of the magnet 70 disposed on the carriage 12 and the magnet
72 disposed on the cutting head 20 fixed to the carriage 14.

[0058]In these circumstances, it is arranged in such that an attraction
force between the magnet 70 and the magnet 72 for coupling the carriage
12 to the carriage 14 is smaller than a holding power for maintaining an
engaged state between the locking means 66 and the hole 68a.

[0059]In the manner of practice, a coupling mechanism for coupling the
carriage 12 to the carriage 14 by means of the magnets 70 and 72 in a
couplable and detachable fashion is constituted.

[0060]The carriage 14 is disposed fixedly on the driving belt 124, and
when the driving belt 124 is traveled in the main scanning direction by
means of a driving force of driving equipment (not shown) such as a
motor, the carriage 14 is transferred in the main scanning direction
along the guide rail 122 with the transfer of the driving belt 124.

[0061]In the case where the magnet 70 attracts the magnet 72 to each other
thereby coupling the carriage 12 to the carriage 14, and an engagement of
the locking member 66 with the hole 68a is disengaged, the carriage 12 is
also transferred in the main scanning direction along the guide rail 122
with the above-described transfer of the carriage 14.

[0062]Since both of the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are transferred in
the main scanning direction as described above, the ink head 16 disposed
on the carriage 12 and the cutting head 20 disposed on the carriage 14
are transferred in the main scanning direction with such transfer of the
carriages 12 and 14. More specifically, the ink head 16 and the cutting
head 20 are transferred in a going direction of the main scanning
direction from the side of the side member 116R to the side of the side
member 116L, and at the same time, they are transferred in a returning
direction of the main scanning direction from the side of the side member
116L to the side of the side member 116R.

[0063]It is to be noted herein that a transfer area over which the
carriages 12 and 14 are transferred in the going direction and the
returning direction of the main scanning direction as described above, in
other words, a transfer area of the ink head 16 and the cutting head 20
is wider than a print area corresponding to a predetermined length in a
breadth direction along the main scanning direction of the recording
paper 200 to be fed on the base member 114 from the sheet feeder (not
shown).

[0064]As mentioned above, although both the carriage 12 and the carriage
14 are transferred in the main scanning direction, the carriage 12 is
transferred in the returning direction at a predetermined timing in case
of no printing operation thereby to be out of the print area, so that the
carriage 12 stays at a standby position in the side unit 118. As a
result, the ink head 16 disposed on the carriage 12 is positioned in the
side unit 118 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0065]A maintenance unit 22 for maintaining the ink head 16 is disposed in
the side unit 118 in which the ink head is to be ready by means of the
carriage 12 stayed in the standby position. The maintenance unit is
provided with a cap device 22a, wiper means (not shown), and a suction
device 22b.

[0066]The cap device 22a has a nozzle cap part, and the nozzle cap part
covers an ink jet nozzle being a discharge port on the bottom of the ink
head unit in the side unit 118. The cap device 22a protects an ink jet
nozzle of an ink head unit in a standby state in the side unit 118 in
case of no printing operation, whereby the cap device 22a can prevent
from curing of an ink in an ink jet nozzle, or adhering of dusts to an
ink jet nozzle.

[0067]The wiper means is provided with a blade, and the blade abuts upon
the bottom of an ink head unit in the side unit 118. An ink remained on
or a fouling such as foreign matters adhered to the bottom of the ink
head unit which is in a standby state in the side unit 118 can be removed
by the wiper means in case of no printing operation.

[0068]The suction device 22b is provided with a suction pump, a motor for
driving the suction pump and the like components, and the suction device
22b sucks an ink from an ink jet nozzle of an ink head unit which is in a
standby state in the side unit 118 in case of no printing operation,
whereby the ink remained in the ink jet nozzle can be removed.

[0069]The maintenance unit 22 provided with the cap device 22a, the wiper
means and the suction device 22b is adapted to be positioned in the side
unit 118 in such that the maintenance unit 22 is located in a lower side
of the ink head 16 disposed on the carriage 12, i.e. a discharge side of
an ink disposed on an ink jet nozzle in the ink head unit of the ink head
16 in a standby position in the side unit 118 wherein the carriage 12 is
transferred in the returning direction in the main scanning direction to
come to rest.

[0070]In the constitution as described above, operations for forming a
desired picture image to print out the picture image on a recording paper
200 or cutting out such picture image to separate an outline of the
picture image from the recording paper 200 by means of the
above-described ink-jet printer 100 will be described.

[0071]In the manner of practice, an initial condition means such a state
that the carriage 12 comes to rest in a standby position, and the ink
head 16 positions in the side unit 118 (a state shown in FIG. 2). In the
initial condition, the magnet 70 attracts the magnet 72 to each other,
the carriage 12 couples to the carriage 14 by means of a coupling means,
besides, the locking member 66 engages with the hole 68a, and the
carriage 12 is engaged with the wall 68 being a stationary region of the
ink-jet printer 100 by means of a locking means.

[0072]In case of printing, first, the motor 64 is driven based on control
of a microcomputer in accordance with an instruction input through the
operation panel 126 to transmit a torque of the revolving shaft 64a of
the motor 64 to the arm section 60d having the hole 60c threaded
internally screwed with the revolving shaft 64a threaded externally,
whereby the ink head holder 60 associated with the arm section 60d is
transferred upwards.

[0073]More specifically, since the ink head holder 60 associated with the
arm section 60d is disposed transferably in the upper and the lower
directions with respect to the carriage 12 by means of the slide means
62, the linear motion block 62b attached to the ink head holder 60 is
slid along the guide rail 62a in response to a rotation direction of the
revolving shaft 64a transmitted to the arm section 60d, so that the ink
head holder 60 can be transferred upwards (see FIG. 5).

[0074]Then, when the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 coupled by the
coupling means are transferred associatedly in the left direction in the
main scanning direction, the locking member 66 is disengaged from the
hole 68a to release fixation of the carriage 12 to the wall 68 being a
stationary member of the carriage 12 (see FIG. 6).

[0075]Thereafter, when the carriage 14 is transferred with transfer of the
driving belt 124, the carriage 14 associated with the carriage 12 by
means of a coupling means is also transferred with transfer of the
carriage 12. Namely, the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are transferred
while maintaining their associated coupling state, so that printing is
carried out on a recording paper 200 by means of the ink head 16.

[0076]On one hand, in case of cutting out an outline of a picture image
printed, the carriage 12 associated with the carriage 14 is transferred
in the right direction in the main scanning direction based on control of
the microcomputer in accordance with an instruction input through the
operation panel 126, whereby the locking member is passed through the
hole 68a (see FIG. 5).

[0077]Then, the motor 64 is driven to transmit a torque of the revolving
shaft 64a of the motor 64 to the arm section 60d having the hole 60c
threaded internally screwed with the revolving shaft 64a threaded
externally, whereby the ink head holder 60 associated with the arm
section 60d is transferred downwards and returned to the initial
condition.

[0078]More specifically, since the ink head holder 60 associated with the
arm section 60d is disposed transferably in the upper and the lower
directions with respect to the carriage 12 by means of the slide means
62, the linear motion block 62b attached to the ink head holder 60 is
slid along the guide rail 62a in response to a rotation direction of the
revolving shaft 64a transmitted to the arm section 60d, so that the ink
head holder 60 can be transferred downwards (see FIG. 2).

[0079]Thereafter, the locking member 66 is engaged with the fringe of the
hole 68a, whereby the carriage 12 is fixed to the wall 68 being a
stationary member, the locking member 66 causing the carriage 14 to
transfer with transfer of the driving belt 124 in the going direction in
the main scanning direction, and it is arranged in such that an
attraction force of the magnet 70 and the magnet 72 by which the carriage
12 is coupled to the carriage 14 is smaller than a holding force in an
engaged state of the locking member 66 in the carriage 12 with the hole
68a. Accordingly, the magnet 70 is drawn away from the magnet 72, whereby
the carriage 12 is separated from the carriage 14.

[0080]As a result of control by the microcomputer, a height position of
the cutter blade 38a of the cutter 38 in the cutting head 20 is changed,
and the carriage 14 is transferred in the going and returning directions
in the main scanning direction with transfer of the driving belt 124 in a
state wherein the cutter blade 38a of the cutter 38 abuts upon the
recording paper 200 on the base member 114, whereby the recording paper
200 can be cut off by the cutter blade 38a of the cutter 38 in the
cutting head 20.

[0081]It is to be noted that the above-described manner of practice may be
modified as described in the following paragraphs (1) through (4).

[0082](1) In the above-described manner of practice, although the slide
means 62 allows the ink head holder 60 to be transferred in the upper
direction and the lower directions intersecting with the main scanning
direction at right angles, the transferring direction is not restricted
to that wherein the slide means 62 allows the ink head holder 60 to be
transferred in the upper direction and the lower directions intersecting
with the main scanning direction at right angles as a matter of course,
but angles and directions intersecting with the main scanning direction
may be suitably changed in response to designs of the components in an
ink-jet printer.

[0083](2) In the above-described manner of practice, although the coupling
means for coupling separably the carriage 12 to the carriage 14 is
composed of the magnet 70 and 72, the invention is not limited thereto as
a matter of course, but specific structure of such coupling means, the
total number thereof layout positions therefore may be suitably modified.
For example, the coupling means may be composed of a magnet and an iron
plate.

[0084](3) In the above-described manner of practice, although it is
arranged in such that the ink head 16 and the cutting head 20 are
transferred in the main scanning direction, while the recording paper is
transferred in the vertical scanning direction, the invention is not
limited thereto as a matter of course, but, for example, such
transferring mechanism may be constituted in that of a so-called flat-bed
type wherein the recording paper 200 is not transferred, but the ink head
16 and the cutting head 20 are transferred in the main scanning direction
and the vertical scanning direction.

[0085](4) The above-described manner of practice as well as the
modifications in the above-described paragraphs (1) through (3) may be
suitably combined with each other.

[0086]It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that
the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof.

[0087]The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all
respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the
invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing
description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of
equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein.

[0088]The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-347527
filed on Dec. 1, 2005 including specification, claims, drawings and
summary are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Patent applications by Hisao Ohmori, Hamamatsu-Shi JP

Patent applications by Yuji Sakata, Hamamatsu-Shi JP

Patent applications in class With means to scan fluid ejector relative to the receiving medium

Patent applications in all subclasses With means to scan fluid ejector relative to the receiving medium